hard tail or soft tail

recommend a hardtail. You'll learn better bike-handling and trail judgement. Even those of us who have FS bikes still would do well to regularly ride HTs. I gave away my full-rigid when I got my FS bike and it was the worst mistake I ever made. I plan on building up a new one again at some point. That said, you can find some really nice FS bikes for around $2k and if you put that money towards a HT, you can score some serious upper-crust gear. I personally would recommend skipping over the ST type bikes unless there are very specific reasons you feel it would be beneficial. They really only work best in a very niche set of applications.

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Trekke

06-27-05, 05:22 AM

I too would recommend a hardtail. You'll learn better bike-handling and trail judgement. Even those of us who have FS bikes still would do well to regularly ride HTs. I gave away my full-rigid when I got my FS bike and it was the worst mistake I ever made. I plan on building up a new one again at some point. That said, you can find some really nice FS bikes for around $2k and if you put that money towards a HT, you can score some serious upper-crust gear. I personally would recommend skipping over the ST type bikes unless there are very specific reasons you feel it would be beneficial. They really only work best in a very niche set of applications.
Great advice and I agree however there is a movement to go directly to a FS without having good reason too. It is just a bling thing I guess.

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Dannihilator

06-27-05, 10:00 AM

All I will ride now are hardtails.

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pnj

06-27-05, 10:07 AM

Hard tails for life!

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the wonginator

06-27-05, 10:57 AM

i'm a big hardtail fan too, but he was asking what was good...

meh.

i'm gonna get myself a hardrock or a bruiser :D

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pnj

06-27-05, 11:04 AM

I was just stating my feelings on the subject.

while I agree that buying a hardtail first will help gain skills, I see no reason why someone shouldn't buy a full squish if that's what they want. I personally wouldn't do it though, because as I said above, "hard tails for life" :D

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hacrwj

06-27-05, 11:12 AM

Thanks...I want to go with a hard-tail and your confirming my 'emotional' opinion. Also, thanks for the comment on ST bikes. I actually had a Scalpel for a few months (long story) and hated the bike....I really struggled to keep up with a group that I normally could keep up with on a borrowed hard-tail.

Based on the reviews on MTBR and this site, I'm leaning towards a:
Kona Kula (or Kula Deluxe)
Specialized Stumpjumper
Cannondale F800

Any commments?

Thanks

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KleinRider

06-27-05, 01:08 PM

Can you guess what I'll recommend? ... :) <--look at my username

Seriously though, your list looks pretty good except for the Cannondale. IMO, the Cannondale has had a problem using proprietary parts (odd size headset, etc.) which I think will come back to bite you in the future - especially if you want to upgrade to a FS and move the parts over to a new frame instead of buying a whole new bike. There are endless varieties of bikes to chose from, and quite frankly they are for the most part similar enough to matter a whole lot. I would find out what's popular in the area where you are moving since there would be better support for it should something go wrong.

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khuon

06-27-05, 01:11 PM

IMO, the Cannondale has had a problem using proprietary parts (odd size headset, etc.) which I think will come back to bite you in the future - especially if you want to upgrade to a FS and move the parts over to a new frame instead of buying a whole new bike.

I'm sorry but I'm going to have to chuckle at a Klein advocate berating Cannondale for using proprietary designs. :D Klein is also not without their sins in that department. ;) I'm not defending Cannondale but I do find it ironic.

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KleinRider

06-27-05, 01:16 PM

I'm sorry but I'm going to have to chuckle at a Klein advocate berating Cannondale for using proprietary designs. :D Klein is also not without their sins in that department. ;) I'm not defending Cannondale but I do find it ironic.

no doubt my mission control II has left me "stranded" in the upgrade department... *but* it's 10 years old; Cannondale is still doing it (AFAIK)... BTW, I think "berating" would be too strong a word.

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khuon

06-27-05, 01:19 PM

no doubt my mission control II has left me "stranded" in the upgrade department... *but* it's 10 years old; Cannondale is still doing it (AFAIK)... BTW, I think "berating" would be too strong a word.

You're right. I probably should have said "criticising". And you're also right that Cannondale is still doing it. The thing is each company did it for very specific reasons that weren't necessarily without merit (at least at the time) but it does leave the end-user in a bit of a pickle.

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KleinRider

06-27-05, 01:25 PM

The thing is each company did it for very specific reasons that weren't necessarily without merit (at least at the time) but it does leave the end-user in a bit of a pickle.

exactly!